In this age of toxic masculinity, it's safe to say the game has changed. Men today have evolved beyond identifying with the tired stereotype of a macho man that has to be virile, leading, decisive, strong and controlling.
#WhatMakesaMan is the hashtag launched by Ermenegildo Zegna for the new 2019 Autumn/Winter campaign. The aim is to build a community by asking a question that appears deceptively simple - and ultimately tap into a topic at the forefront of our collective consciousness.
So, what defines a man today? Mahershala Ali, two-time Oscar winner and the new face of Ermenegildo Zegna, attempts to answer this question in a fearless exploration of modern masculinity. His goal? To start a movement that redefines the outdated stereotypes and inspires a new generation of men to set their own rules.
According to tradition, a man should be brave at all costs - a standard that's nearly impossible to achieve. “It takes wisdom to be fearless,” says Ali. The #WhatMakesaMan campaign suggests that recognising and accepting your fears is the first step to overcoming them.
In career, love and life in general, the fear of failure is one that many men experience - but for Ali, it's all part of the journey. "Let me promise you this, failure is coming right at you," he says. "So look at fear as a little warning that you're headed in the right direction." The new Zegna campaign is an invitation to change your perspective. The campaign also offers a reflection on gratitude, playfulness, risk-taking and dreaming: all essential elements of the modern man.
Yet the most delicate, raw and ungoverned theme in the video is that of love. Ali shows his vulnerability as he acknowledges the power that love has on men and their inability to control it. “Let me say to you, I can’t help it. I may try to escape it, but I can’t,” he says. His words are a wake-up call to accept the idea that you may need to let go, to allow yourself not to be in control. His message suggests that you take things as they come, for better or worse, and enjoy the fascinating mystery of instability.
Ermenegildo Zegna has been dressing men for 110 years and the brand is driven by guiding them in their social evolution. The campaign is an effort to rewrite the values of contemporary men - or at least guide them in accepting that there is more than one way to 'be a man.'
Watch the campaign videos at zegna.co.uk
